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These final Pixel 10 leaks reveal almost everything about Google's next flagship – including a potentially controversial change

TechRadar News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 05:27
  • A generous helping of new Pixel 10 leaks have appeared
  • There's a promo clip, eSIM rumors, and pricing too
  • The Pixel 10 Pro Fold might be delayed

We only have a few hours left before the Google Pixel 10 is official, and you can follow all of the latest news in our Pixel 10 launch liveblog. But leakers aren't slowing down: we've got a repeated rumor about a controversial design change, plus a 30-second clip showing off some Pixel 10 features.

First that design change, and well-known tipster @evleaks has again hinted that the Pixel 10 phones will be eSIM-only, by posting what looks to be an image from the phone's packaging: "you no longer need a physical SIM card" the text reads.

It's something that the same source predicted earlier this month, though it's not clear which regions and handsets this would apply to. It seems it may be a US-only move, and that the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold will hang on to a physical SIM card slot.

There are a lot of advantages to eSIMs, which make it easier to set up and swap numbers, but some users still prefer the physical SIM – especially for convenience when traveling and swapping between services. Apple went eSIM-only with the iPhone 14 back in 2022, though iPhones outside the US still have SIM slots.

Bonjour, Pixel 10

Bonjour, Pixel 10 pic.twitter.com/KYvJPYpbN8August 19, 2025

Our second leak of the day comes from another veteran tipster, @MysteryLupin. It's a full 30-second promotional clip for the Google Pixel 10, showing off some of the features we can expect – though it is in French.

We have Gemini Live shown off here, which of course isn't a new feature. In the demo, the user asks how to make an espresso using the coffee machine that's just been unboxed, and Google's AI serves up the necessary instructions.

One feature here that is new is Coach Photo, which seems to be a way of helping you get the best photos by advising you on framing, zooming, and so on. It's something that's already been rumored, albeit under the name Camera Coach.

The last feature demoed is Video Boost for stabilizing shaky video: it's already available on Pro Pixels, but the indications from this video are that it may come to the base Pixel 10 this year (presumably it has the necessary processing power to handle it).

And yet more leaks

Pricing. The Buds 2a slot in at $129. Enjoy the launch tomorrow, especially those planning to buy. pic.twitter.com/ZSKwq52LDMAugust 20, 2025

There's more to mention: @evleaks has also confirmed what we've heard from previous leaks that Pixel 10 pricing will match Pixel 9 pricing – so the range should be starting at $799 / £799 / AU$1,349 for the cheapest Pixel 10, and going up from there.

We also have a social post from @rquandt.bsky.social‬, another reliable tipster, showing off marketing materials and specs for the Pixel 10 handsets, including screen sizes: 6.3 inches for the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, and 6.8 inches for the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The rumored Pixelsnap wireless charging is also mentioned again.

As for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, it's listed as having a 6.4-inch outer display and an 8-inch inner one. Based on this leak it seems as though the phone may have delayed availability, with one Belgian retailer suggesting that preorders will start on September 25.

All of this will shortly be made official, and we'll bring you the news as it happens. The Made by Google event gets underway at 10am PT / 1am ET / 6pm BST today (August 20), which is August 21 at 3am AEST for Australia, and you can watch along online.

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Categories: Technology

How to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 finale online and from anywhere

TechRadar News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 05:13
How to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17

The Gang are back… and it’s been the usual chaos. From law breaking to dodgy dealing, after two long years, everyone’s favourite narcissists returned. Read on, as we explain how to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 online from anywhere.

Premiered: July 9

Finale: Wednesday, August 20 at 9pm ET / PT

US broadcast: FXX via Sling TV

US stream: Hulu (30-day trial)

International stream: Disney Plus (CA, AU)

Use NordVPN to watch any stream

Season 17 is the season of crossovers for the crew of Paddy’s Pub, as not only did we finally see the Gang’s PoV of the Abbott Elementary mash-up in the season opener, but Danny DeVito’s Frank finds himself a contestant on The Golden Bachelor in tonight's finale. Elsewhere, there’s been PR disasters, Saudi dealings, side hustles and reinventions, all in the pursuit of money, and lots of it.

The usual core cast are here, with the newly rechristened Rob Mac, starring alongside Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton and Kaitlin Olson. We also saw the return of David Hornsby as the long-suffering Cricket.

Ready to say goodbye to another round of beautiful chaos? Here's our guide on how to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 online and from anywhere.

How to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 in the US

If you have cable, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 airs on Wednesdays, with the finale set for August 20 at 9pm ET / PT.

Don't have cable? Cord-cutting services with FX include Sling TV – specifically the Sling Orange package from $46 per month. You can even get $10 off your first month, before returning to the original fee. There's also Fubo from $84.99 and Hulu with Live TV from $82.99 per month after a 3-day free trial.

If you're happy to watch on demand, episodes will also be available to stream on Hulu the following day.

Away from the US? Use a VPN to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 online from abroad.

How to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 from anywhere

For those away from home looking to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, you’ll be unable to watch the show as normal due to regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution.

Downloading a VPN allows you to stream geo-blocked services safely and securely online, no matter where you are. It's a simple bit of software that changes your IP address, meaning that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home. Our favorite is NordVPN.

Use a VPN to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 from anywhere:

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We regularly review all the biggest and best VPN providers and NordVPN is our #1 choice. It unblocked every streaming service in testing and it's very straightforward to use. Speed, security and 24/7 support available if you need – it's got it all. The best value plan is the two-year deal which sets the price at just $3.09 per month with 3 extra months free. There's also an all-important a 30-day no-quibble refund if you decide it's not for you.

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How to watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 in the UK, Canada or Australia

Disney Plus is the international home of brand new episodes from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17.

In Canada, new episodes stream every Thursday, while Aussies can catch weekly episodes every Wednesday.

There's currently no release date set for the UK, but typically episodes don't start streaming in Blighty until the whole season has aired Stateside.

American away from home? You can still connect to your usual VOD services by downloading a VPN and pointing your location back to the US.

What you need to know about It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17It's Always Sunny... S017E7 recap

Episode 7: "The Gang Gets Ready for Prime Time ": "Upon learning Frank's making a 'Hometown Visit' with his Golden Bachelor partners, the Gang rehearses their family dinner to appeal to America."

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 release date

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 premiered on Wednesday, July 9 in the US with episodes made available to stream in Canada from July 10 and Australia from July 16. A UK release date is TBC.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 trailerIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 episode schedule
  • Episode 1 - "The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary": Wednesday, July 9
  • Episode 2 - "Frank Is In a Coma": Wednesday, July 9
  • Episode 3 - "Mac and Dennis Become EMTs": Wednesday, July 16
  • Episode 4 - "Thought Leadership: A Corporate Conversation": Wednesday, July 23
  • Episode 5 - "The Gang Goes to a Dog Track": Wednesday, July 30
  • Episode 6 - "Overage Drinking: A National Concern": Wednesday, August 6
  • Episode 7 - "The Gang Gets Ready for Prime Time": Wednesday, August 13
  • Episode 8 - "The Golden Bachelor Live": Wednesday, August 20
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast
  • Charlie Day as Charlie Kelly
  • Glenn Howerton as Dennis Reynolds
  • Rob McElhenney as Ronald "Mac" McDonald
  • Kaitlin Olson as Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds
  • Danny DeVito as Frank Reynolds

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Categories: Technology

The iPhone's Camera Control could be the new MacBook Touch Bar, according to sketchy rumor that says iPhone 18 will drop it

TechRadar News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 05:06
  • The iPhone 17 series could be the last phones with a Camera Control button
  • This is apparently because Apple has found that people aren't using it much
  • But the source doesn't have much of a track record, and there are other reasons to doubt this claim too

It’s fair to say that responses to the Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 series have been mixed. While some users are unconvinced by this addition to the iPhone, others have found a lot to love about the Camera Control button. But if you’re in the latter camp you’ll be disappointed to hear that its days might be numbered.

According to Weibo poster OvO Baby Sauce OvO (via GSMArena), the iPhone 17 series might be the last phones with this button, as Apple has apparently told its suppliers it will no longer order Camera Control button parts.

This is apparently because Apple has found that iPhone owners aren’t using the button much, and that by removing this key, the company can cut some costs – which could be especially beneficial in this new age of tariffs.

Still, I’m unconvinced. It’s hard to get a sense for how many people actually use the Camera Control button much, with social media suggesting it’s a real mix of lovers and haters, but even if not many people are using it, we doubt Apple would give up on it so fast.

Even the much-maligned MacBook Touch Bar lasted five years before Apple ditched it, and it’s clear that some people do like the Camera Control.

More than just camera controls

Visual Intelligence identifying a dog (Image credit: Apple)

Plus, the Camera Control button does more than that name suggests – it’s also the gateway to Visual Intelligence, which is one of Apple’s headline AI features. Now, there are other ways to access this, but they’re less immediate, or require you toggling it to the Action button, which then means you can’t use that for something else.

Right now, Visual Intelligence itself might not seem a big deal to most people, but that’s in large part because Apple Intelligence lags behind rival AI services. If and when it starts to catch up, Visual Intelligence could be something you’d reach for often, as it lets you use AI to learn about or translate whatever you’re looking at.

So it seems unlikely that Apple would make such a major feature less easily accessible – it would be like admitting not only that these camera controls aren’t that useful, but that Visual Intelligence isn’t either.

I can’t see Apple doing that, and it’s worth noting that the source making this claim also doesn’t have much of a track record. So until the same claim is made by someone like Mark Gurman – who has a history of accurately leaking Apple information – you should probably file this under unlikely.

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Categories: Technology

These 9 Hidden Apple Watch Health Features Could Change How You Use Yours

CNET News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 05:00
Think you know your Apple Watch? These health features might surprise you.
Categories: Technology

'Peacemaker' Season 2: When to Watch the Return of James Gunn's DCU Series

CNET News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 05:00
Step aside, Superman.
Categories: Technology

iOS 26 Beta Cheat Sheet: What You Should Know About the Next Major iPhone Update

CNET News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 05:00
Learn about upcoming features so you can use them as soon as Apple releases iOS 26.
Categories: Technology

These brain implants speak your mind — even when you don't want to

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 05:00

Brain-implanted devices that allow paralyzed people to speak can also decode words they imagine, but don't intend to share.

(Image credit: Jim Gensheimer)

Categories: News

Python isn't dead - despite funding cuts, programming language powers on

TechRadar News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 04:44
  • Python remains popular for data exploration, processing and engineering
  • Younger developers are still using the coding language
  • Only 15% use the latest release of Python, research finds

An extensive survey of around 30,000 developers has revealed Python is still a preferred language for many programmers, with around three in four (72%) using it for work, and 86% preferring it over any other language.

The Python Developer Survey (perhaps unsurprisingly) revealed an important bit of information that ties in with Python's ease of use – half of its users have less than two years' experience, suggesting its user base spans younger developers.

Still, it remains unbeatable across many categories, with more programmers using Python for web development (46%) compared with previous studies (42%).

Python is an all-time favorite programming language

Python is also a popular choice when it comes to data exploration and processing (51%), artificial intelligence and machine learning (41%) and data engineering (31%).

However, there remains a broad reluctance to upgrade to the latest release, with only 15% on 3.13.

More than a combined half are still using 3.12 (35%) and 3.11 (21%), with few seeing the need to upgrade at all – 53% say their current version meets their needs and 25% note a lack of time to upgrade.

A further 27% noted compatibility issues associated with choosing newer releases, despite the promised performance improvements such as 10-15% less memory usage and 11% faster performance when upgrading from 3.11 to 3.13.

Still, the language remains crucial for an important part of the community – around one in three developers continue to open source software, including documentation and tutorials, which are among the most popular learning mechanisms for new developers (followed by videos hosted on platforms like YouTube and AI tools like ChatGPT).

Given that Python isn't going anywhere, the need to upgrade is clear. With only 15% operating on the newest release, huge free performance gains are on the cards.

"By taking this action, you will be able to take advantage of the full potential of modern Python, from the performance benefits to the language features," Talk Python founder Michael Kennedy explained in a blog post.

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Categories: Technology

Voting officials are leaving their jobs at the highest rate in decades

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 04:00

Some 2 in 5 of all the local officials who administered the 2020 election left their jobs before the 2024 cycle, new research has found.

(Image credit: Scott Olson)

Categories: News

Trump's return to 'law and order' highlights a sore spot for Democrats: crime policy

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 04:00

Democrats have struggled to counter GOP efforts to frame itself as the party of "law and order." Some see it as a problem of messaging, while others think past and current policies may be to blame.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

Categories: News

Nerd! How the word popularized by Dr. Seuss went from geeky insult to mainstream

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 04:00
The Big Bang Theory, were an example of nerd culture on TV.'/>

Nerd has been part of our lexicon for three-quarters of a century, its geeky meaning embodied by some of the most recognizable characters in film and TV, but its origin story is a bit murky.

(Image credit: Monty Brinton)

Categories: News

Affiliate Marketing in 2025: practical insights into the rise of alternative channels and the video-first revolution

TechRadar News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 03:41

Affiliate marketing in 2025 is undergoing a transformation that reflects the dynamic nature of the industry. A 3.38% conversion rate for e-shop owners, according to platform data from 2Performant, reflects a strong industry performance, but it only tells part of the story. Growth is happening across multiple alternative channels, with video-first platforms, social commerce and emerging formats challenging conventional affiliate marketing approaches.

The shift towards alternative channels is an evolution in how consumers discover and purchase products across multiple touchpoints. With video content representing over 62% of internet traffic in the EU, social commerce growing at 30% annually, and mobile commerce accounting for 74% of all global mobile data, the infrastructure for multi-channel affiliate marketing is not only ready but actively driving consumer behavior.

The Dynamics of Emerging Trends in the European Market

Europe's embrace of alternative channels varies across regions, reflecting differences in consumer behavior, market maturity, and commercial infrastructure. What works effectively in the US market doesn't automatically translate to European consumers, who tend to be more cautious about online purchases and more research-driven in their shopping behavior.

Across Europe, Google campaigns and CSS affiliates continue to serve as the primary sales drivers, consistently delivering the most reliable revenue. The continued dominance of PPC affiliates stems from financial accountability. Agencies invest their own money in campaigns, creating a direct relationship between their profitability and performance that reflects how campaigns are optimized.

Yet, the live-shopping and video commerce trend is catching on.

Platforms like Temu and Trendyol are investing heavily in promotional campaigns and growing in European markets. This expansion isn't happening in isolation. The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has made consumers more prudent but it has also created demand for the very benefits that video commerce provides, including real-time interaction, immediate question answering and detailed product demonstration.

When 55% of European consumers report they "can't afford to make wrong choices," live shopping's ability to provide authentic, detailed product information becomes a competitive advantage rather than a nice-to-have feature.

Video Commerce: The Leading Alternative Channel

Video commerce has emerged as the most visible alternative channel, with TikTok Shop processing thousands of live sessions daily in the UK alone and live shopping generating billions in global merchandise value. Individual sellers are seeing meaningful results, with typical live sessions moving around 100 items worth approximately £773 in sales.

The platform's success stems from its understanding of modern consumer behavior. Today's shoppers, particularly younger demographics, expect entertainment, education and commerce to be seamlessly integrated. TikTok Shop delivers this integration and creates shopping experiences that feel natural rather than transactional.

However, the effectiveness varies significantly by product category and target demographic. Beauty and personal care categories are generating billions in gross merchandise value globally, while other categories struggle to achieve similar conversion rates. This selective success highlights the importance of channel-product fit rather than assuming general applicability.

Social Commerce Beyond Video

Social commerce includes Instagram Shopping, Pinterest Product Pins and Facebook Marketplace integrations, extending beyond video platforms. These platforms are experiencing significant growth by allowing consumers to discover and purchase products without leaving their preferred social environments.

Instagram Shopping has evolved into a commerce platform with features like product tags, shop tabs, and checkout functionality creating seamless purchase journeys. Pinterest's visual discovery model aligns with product exploration, making it effective for home décor, fashion and lifestyle categories.

The key advantage of social commerce is in its ability to capture consumers during moments of inspiration rather than active search. This discovery-based approach complements traditional search-based affiliate marketing by reaching consumers earlier in their purchase journey.

The Advantage of the Performance-Based Model

The transition towards cost-per-sale pricing models favors alternative channels that can demonstrate clear conversion paths. When agencies and creators are compensated based on actual sales rather than clicks or impressions, the conversion capabilities of well-executed alternative channel strategies become clear competitive advantages.

Video commerce's ability to demonstrate products, answer questions and build trust translates directly into higher conversion rates for businesses willing to invest in quality content and authentic presenter skills. The integrated nature of video platforms means that attribution and performance management tracking provide clearer insights into what drives conversions, making it easier to optimize campaigns for maximum effectiveness.

While search-based affiliate marketing continues to generate revenue, it's increasingly competing for attention with more engaging formats. The mobile performance crisis affecting traditional affiliate marketing, with click-through rates dropping by 50% and AI overviews further reducing traffic, doesn't impact alternative channels in the same way.

Google's algorithm changes increasingly favor video content, making it harder for traditional affiliate sites to maintain their search rankings. Social platforms are also investing heavily in commerce features that make alternative channel shopping more seamless and attractive.

Consumers, particularly younger demographics, are moving away from text-based research towards multi-channel discovery and decision-making processes that blend entertainment, education, and commerce across multiple touchpoints.

The Technology Infrastructure Is Ready

The technology for multi-channel affiliate marketing has matured quickly. Attribution systems can now track performance across multiple touchpoints from initial discovery through final purchase.

Content creation tools have democratized production across multiple formats, making it possible for individual creators and small businesses to produce engaging content for video, social and emerging channels without substantial budgets. Mobile-first platforms have eliminated many technical barriers that once made alternative channels accessible only to well-funded enterprises.

Payment platforms have also evolved to support seamless purchase journeys across all channels, with fintech solutions enabling smooth transactions regardless of where the customer journey begins.

Integration Over Replacement

The future of affiliate marketing is in understanding how to integrate traditional and alternative channels effectively. Alternative channels represent opportunities for growth and differentiation, but they work best when combined with the reliability and reach of established channels.

Live shopping will continue growing throughout 2025, but scalability challenges prevent it from becoming a dominant revenue source for most businesses. Social commerce works particularly well for discovery and inspiration, while emerging technology channels excel at reducing friction for specific use cases.

The most important factor remains the quality of commercial offers presented to consumers. No amount of creative content, sophisticated technology or innovative formats can compensate for poor pricing, low-quality products or complicated purchasing processes. Success in 2025 will come from businesses that build their affiliate marketing strategies around creating genuine value for consumers across multiple channels.

Alternative channels are defining the next wave of sales because they align with how consumers actually want to shop in 2025. The transformation is already underway, and the question is how quickly businesses will adapt these alternative channels to capture the opportunity while maintaining the foundation that traditional channels provide.

We list the best mobile payment app.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Categories: Technology

Israeli military will call up 50,000 reservists as it plans new phase of war in Gaza

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 03:07

An Israeli official said that the military will be operating in parts of Gaza City where the Israeli military has not yet operated and where Hamas is still active.

(Image credit: Ariel Schalit)

Categories: News

Why Baidu’s Ernie matters more than DeepSeek

TechRadar News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 03:03

A few months ago, Chinese LLM DeepSeek-R1 made headlines. The world was introduced to an open-source AI model that matched OpenAI o1’s reasoning abilities at a fraction of the cost. A relatively obscure startup topped Apple’s App Store rankings and sent shockwaves through global stock markets.

DeepSeek’s breakthrough proved AI could be built without massive capital investment or Nvidia’s highest-grade chips. More importantly, it showed that an open-source strategy could challenge America’s AI hegemony. China is betting that widespread, open-source use offers more value than the West’s paywalled models, such as ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Perplexity.

But if DeepSeek was a minnow, a Chinese whale is now having its own open-source moment: Baidu, China’s answer to Google, with 704 million monthly active app users and a market cap of 31.6 billion USD, has announced it will open-source its powerful generative AI model, Ernie. This release represents a dramatic policy reversal for Baidu, whose CEO Robin Li had previously advocated for proprietary, closed-source models as the only viable path for AI development.

If DeepSeek demonstrated that China could compete with the West, Baidu’s open-source pivot makes Chinese AI seem almost unstoppable. The commoditization of AI is accelerating, and China’s tech giants are redrawing the battle lines with the West from a performance race into a price war.

Here’s why Baidu’s open-source play matters more than DeepSeek's January breakthrough.

Deep Pockets

While DeepSeek was, at least in appearance, a proof of concept from a scrappy startup, Baidu brings the institutional weight, capital firepower, and, crucially, the distribution channels, to ensure widespread adoption.

In the age of AI, it pays to be a big company. Their sheer scale enables larger investments, improves resilience against market shocks and trade sanctions, and offers hyperscalers the advantage of applying this technology to their existing products.

Just look at Google. The American search engine giant is leveraging its existing broad and loyal customer base to attract traffic to its Gemini models, which are being integrated into its search function. At the May Google I/O conference, Google announced that its ‘AI Overviews’ (the AI summaries displayed next to search results) are used by more than 1.5 billion people each month. Baidu will doubtless do the same, leveraging its economies of scale to make Ernie a winner.

Meanwhile, DeepSeek’s momentum has sputtered. The smaller tech outfit has been forced to delay the release of its next-generation R2 model after struggling to procure enough of Nvidia’s high-end graphics processing units to complete training, because of new U.S. sanctions on chip exports to China, according to The Information.

As it stands, Baidu’s Ernie API has an 18% market share, still some way behind DeepSeek’s 34% share; however, Baidu’s size means it can rapidly make up ground.

From Performance Race to Price War

China is commoditizing AI faster than the West can monetize it. When developers can access high-performance AI without Big Tech’s pricing gates, it fundamentally rewrites who can afford to innovate.

DeepSeek-R1 debuted at $0.55 input/$2.19 output, undercutting the then SOTA model o1 by 90%+ on output token pricing. Since then, reasoning model prices have cratered, with OpenAI recently cutting its flagship model price by 80%, according to SemiAnalysis. Baidu already said in March that its Ernie X1 model delivers performance on par with DeepSeek-R1 “at only half the price.”

“If open-source AI becomes just as powerful as proprietary US models,” wrote June Yoon, Asia Lex Editor of the Financial Times in an article earlier this year, “the ability to monetize AI as an exclusive product collapses. Why pay for closed models if a free, equally capable alternative exists?”

The West may be forced to rethink its pricing strategies and business models when China can release equally good AI at virtually no cost.

Developer Ecosystem

China could never compete when the U.S. is making deals the size of Stargate, which is set to rise to $500 billion, and imposing tariffs on the tools used to build AI. That’s why China was forced to become self-sufficient.

By open-sourcing AI, they can bypass U.S. sanctions, decentralize development, and access global talent to improve models. Restrictions on Nvidia’s chips matter less when the rest of the world can refine China’s models on alternative hardware.

This approach may render restrictions moot, as much development occurs on Nvidia infrastructure outside China. By publishing the code of its flagship LLM, Baidu aims to foster broader adoption and a developer community around the technology.

CEO Li said as much to Chinese developers in April this year: “Our releases aim to empower developers to build the best applications — without having to worry about model capability, costs, or development tools.”

More developers using Ernie’s code will help it scale to new heights.

Game on

As more Chinese tech giants embrace open-source AI, they’re creating an alternative technology stack that bypasses U.S. control. Every developer who builds on Ernie instead of GPT-4 is one less customer for Silicon Valley and one more node in China’s AI ecosystem.

While DeepSeek faces delays and hardware shortages, established players like Baidu can take on the baton and sustain the open-source assault indefinitely. They have the capital to subsidize free AI and the scale to support millions of users.

For Western tech companies clinging to closed models and subscription fees, the message is clear: the game has changed. Adapt or become irrelevant.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Categories: Technology

The hidden pitfalls of AI in the cloud: here's what businesses need to know

TechRadar News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 02:51

Artificial intelligence has firmly established itself as a cornerstone of modern business transformation. From enhancing customer service to streamlining operations and uncovering insights from data, AI’s role in the enterprise is no longer experimental - it is essential.

For many organizations, this journey has been powered by cloud-based infrastructure. The cloud has allowed businesses to quickly scale AI tools without investing in specialist hardware, accelerating adoption and innovation. However, as AI moves from tactical deployments to deeper integration across operations, cracks are beginning to show in the cloud-first model.

Latency, Cost and Compliance Risks

Real-time responsiveness is critical to the success of AI applications, especially for tasks that require instant decision making. Cloud processing, by its nature, depends on the transmission of data across networks, introducing latency that can affect performance. In sectors like finance, healthcare or manufacturing, even small delays can make a meaningful difference.

At the same time, the financial burden of running large-scale AI models in the cloud is growing. What was once a cost-efficient way to experiment with AI can become expensive at scale. As models increase in complexity and the demand for high-volume data processing grows, many businesses are finding that cloud service costs escalate quickly and sometimes unpredictably.

Then there is the issue of data governance. With regulations tightening globally, organizations are under pressure to ensure data remains within secure and compliant environments. Cloud-based AI often involves the transfer and storage of sensitive information on third-party servers, which can create challenges around data sovereignty and auditability.

Why On-Device AI Is Gaining Ground

These limitations are driving renewed interest in on-device AI as a model that processes data locally on endpoint devices such as PCs or mobile workstations. Rather than relying on remote servers, these devices are equipped with dedicated capacity to run machine learning models directly, offering a range of operational and strategic benefits.

Recent research from HP and YouGov, surveying over 1,000 UK workers and senior IT decision makers, underlines this shift. More than half of business leaders indicated they would be more likely to adopt AI if it were embedded directly into employees’ devices. And nearly a third of employees said they would be more likely to use AI if it were seamlessly integrated into the software they already rely on each day.

This reflects a broader theme: workers want AI that is immediate, intuitive and trustworthy. On-device AI addresses all three, offering speed, convenience and stronger data control.

Improving Adoption Through Experience

AI’s potential is not just about what it can do, but how it is experienced by users. When embedded within familiar tools - summarizing meetings, suggesting email phrasing, or analysing data on the fly - AI becomes a natural part of the workflow, not another task to manage. This frictionless integration drives deeper engagement and delivers sustained, tangible value.

By processing data locally, on-device AI also reduces exposure to external networks, helping organizations to meet stringent data protection requirements. In regulated industries, this ability to maintain control over sensitive data without compromising functionality is a powerful enabler of compliance.

Scaling AI Requires a Hybrid Future

Despite AI’s growing presence, widespread enterprise adoption remains limited. Only around 11 per cent of organizations have scaled AI across departments. Yet among those who have, the benefits are tangible. According to HP and YouGov’s survey, one in three report cost savings of over 11 per cent, illustrating that the challenge is not in proving AI’s value, but in deploying it effectively.

Going forward, AI strategy will increasingly demand a hybrid approach that combines the scalability of cloud with the performance, security and personalization of on-device intelligence.

Business leaders must evaluate not just where AI runs, but how it fits into the fabric of their organization. The goal should be to deliver intelligence where it creates the most value, in a way that enhances employee experience, strengthens compliance and makes operations more resilient.

Cloud-based AI helped prove the value of intelligent systems. On-device AI may well be the model that ensures that value is sustained.

We list the best business computers.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Categories: Technology

The AI speed trap: why software quality Is falling behind in the race to release

TechRadar News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 02:33

In the rush to capitalize on Generative AI, software development and delivery has shifted into overdrive. Teams are moving faster, delivering more code, and automating everything from testing to deployment. In many ways, it’s a golden age for software productivity. But beneath the surface, a growing problem threatens to undo those gains: software quality isn’t keeping up.

Call it the ‘AI speed trap’. The more we trust AI to ship code autonomously without rigorous due diligence, the wider the quality gap becomes. And the consequences are already visible. Outages, security breaches, mounting technical debt, and, in some cases, millions in annual losses as the result of business disruption.

In fact, recent research shows that two-thirds of global organizations are significantly at risk of a software outage within the next year, and almost half believe poor software quality costs them $1m or more annually. There is an emerging tension in AI-driven software development: speed vs. stability.

Faster doesn’t always mean better

Modern DevOps and Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines were built to prioritize velocity; GenAI has turbocharged this further, creating more code than ever before.

But AI doesn’t ensure quality; it ensures output. We all know that AI can get it wrong. Without proper guardrails, AI-powered development becomes like a high-speed factory churning out code without accountability. So why are so many teams pushing code live without fully testing it? Because the pressure to deliver quickly outweighs the mandate for due diligence.

That’s not just anecdotal. The 2025 Quality Transformation Report found that nearly two-thirds of organizations admit to releasing untested code to meet deadlines. It’s a staggering statistic, and a stark warning.

The new definition of ‘quality’

Traditional metrics like test coverage, defect rates, or system stability used to define quality. Today, speed is starting to stand in for quality, but it’s a dangerous substitution. Shipping faster doesn’t mean shipping better.

If quality becomes synonymous with velocity, teams risk ignoring deeper indicators, including resilience, maintainability, and customer experience. And when those things fail, the fallout can be major: lost revenue, compliance failures, or service outages that damage trust.

Software quality must be redefined for the AI-first world. It’s not just about finding bugs, it's about ensuring long-term performance, user satisfaction, and business continuity. In this landscape, quality is less about the absence of errors and more about the presence of confidence.

When confidence is missing

Here’s the paradox: even as organizations accelerate releases, many teams hesitate internally. Over 8 in 10 (83%) of EMEA IT teams (as well 73% in the US) say they delay launches because they aren’t confident in their test coverage. The disconnect between external pressure to move fast and internal uncertainty about product stability is a symptom of broken feedback loops and incomplete visibility.

Worse still, misalignment between leadership and delivery teams creates confusion about what quality even means. While C-suite leaders push for speed and innovation, engineering teams struggle to maintain test rigor under shrinking timelines and budgets.

This breakdown isn’t just a technical issue; it’s a cultural one. To fix it, organizations need stronger alignment around goals, clearer quality metrics, and smarter automation that doesn't just accelerate work but elevates it.

AI needs to be accountable

Trust in AI is growing, and for good reason. Used well, it can offload repetitive tasks, help developers ship faster, and even make autonomous release decisions, with nine in 10 tech leaders backing its judgment. But handing over the reins to AI doesn’t mean humans should abdicate oversight.

Autonomous AI agents making release decisions may boost productivity, but without transparency, explainability, and traceability, they can also introduce risk at scale. Responsible AI use in development means embedding governance into automation. It means having a way to audit what AI did, and why.

This starts with AI-literate teams. Developers and testers need to understand the logic behind AI-generated outputs, not just blindly accept them. Ethical awareness, systems thinking, and contextual judgment must be part of every team’s toolkit if AI is going to serve as a true partner in quality.

Closing the quality gap

If software engineers want sustainable gains from AI, leaders need to clearly define what quality means for their teams, what level of risk is acceptable within their business and build that into testing strategies from day one.

The quality gap won’t close with more speed, but with smarter systems. This means investing in autonomous software testing and quality intelligence not as an afterthought, but as a strategic function.

By leveraging AI-driven insights and real-time automation, it’s possible to proactively identify risks, eliminate bottlenecks, and embed quality throughout the software development lifecycle. This enables teams to deliver at speed without compromising reliability.

It also requires a return to fundamentals: clear requirements, continuous feedback, and cross-functional accountability. These aren’t outdated concepts, they’re the foundation for any resilient development practice. In short: if AI is the engine, quality must be the brakes and the steering.

A smarter, more balanced future

AI has given us the ability to build and deploy software at unprecedented speed. But if we don’t pair that speed with intelligent quality engineering, the risks will outpace the rewards. The future belongs to organizations that move fast and stay resilient.

That means building AI-augmented testing into every stage of the software lifecycle. It means defining quality not by how fast you ship, but how confident you are that your software can perform in the wild.

It means treating AI as a tool, not a shortcut. Because in the race to deliver, the real winners won’t just be the first to cross the finish line. They’ll be the ones who don’t crash on the way.

We've listed the best Large Language Models (LLMs) for coding.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Categories: Technology

Cobalt-free batteries reign in Chinese EVs. Why not the US?

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 02:05

There’s been an era-defining race underway between two types of batteries used in electric vehicles: lithium batteries that use cobalt, and ones that use iron phosphate. Cobalt, a metal with a checkered human rights record, has been in the lead. Until recently. 

Henry Sanderson’s book on the elements that build electric vehicles is Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green.

Related episodes: 
The race to produce lithium 
How batteries are already changing the grid 
How batteries are riding the free market rodeo in Texas 
How EV batteries tore apart Michigan (Update) 
Batteries are catching fire at sea 

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter

Categories: News

How to watch Reading & Leeds: live stream the 2025 festival for free – ft. Travis Scott, Limp Bizkit & Chappell Roan

TechRadar News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 02:00

Comprising twin festivals taking place 190 miles apart, one at Richfield Avenue in Reading, the other at Bramham Park near Leeds, R&L isn't for the faint-hearted. Travis Scott, Bring Me the Horizon, Hozier and Chappell Roan are headlining both events, so read on as we explain how to watch Reading & Leeds 2025 streams online from anywhere and for FREE on BBC iPlayer.

As the unofficial annual post-exam results blowout for teenagers up and down the UK, there tends to be an end-of-days feel to Reading & Leeds, while the twin format and north-south divide are a recipe for one-upmanship.

The audience energy is just as big a part of the music, but we have seen a huge shift from the rock heavy bands of the early 2000s. That was of course since the arrival of 50 Cent as a headliner back in 2004, who among others like Panic! at the Disco, Good Charlotte, Twenty One Pilots, My Chemical Romance and Meat Loaf have been given particularly short shrift in the past.

Aside from the headliners, further highlights include Lambrini Girls, Wunderhorse, Bloc Party, Limp Bizkit and The Kooks. The Reading Friday lineup and the Leeds Saturday lineup are the same, as are the Reading Saturday lineup and the Leeds Sunday lineup, and the Reading Sunday lineup and the Leeds Friday lineup.

Read on as we explain how to watch Reading & Leeds live streams from anywhere. We've also listed the full lineups further down the page.

Can I watch Reading & Leeds for FREE?

Yes. Viewers in the UK can watch Reading & Leeds festival for free on the BBC iPlayer streaming service.

Not at home? Use a VPN to access you usual streaming services from abroad and watch Reading & Leeds for free.

How to watch Reading & Leeds 2025 from abroad

For those away from home looking to watch Reading & Leeds, you’ll be unable to tune in due to regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution.

Downloading a VPN allows you to stream geo-blocked services online, no matter where you are. It's a simple bit of software that changes your IP address, meaning that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home. Our favorite is NordVPN.

Use one of the best VPNs to watch Reading & Leeds 2025 from anywhere:

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How to watch Reading & Leeds in the UK

The best place to watch Reading & Leeds unfold is BBC iPlayer, which is hosting a dedicated Reading & Leeds popup channel. It will run from 2pm BST until late on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, showcasing performances from Reading's Main Stage and Chevron Stage.

TV coverage is limited to highlights of the Chappell Roan and Bring Me The Horizon Reading sets, which will air on BBC One at 10.40pm on Friday and 11.55pm on Saturday, respectively. An overall highlights show will air on BBC One at 11.40pm on Thursday, August 28.

Outside the UK? If you want to watch Reading & Leeds 2025 on BBC iPlayer whilst traveling abroad you'll need to download NordVPN.

Can I watch Reading & Leeds 2025 in the US, Canada and Australia?

You won't see Reading & Leeds in any international listings, but snippets of the festival will be posted on the BBC Music YouTube channel.

Brit abroad? Use a VPN to watch Reading & Leeds on BBC iPlayer from abroad.

Reading 2025 lineup

(All times BST)

Thursday, August 21

Chevron Stage

  • 9:15pm – Cam Smith
  • 10:45pm – Jack Marlow
  • 12:15am – Charlie Tee
  • 1:45am – DJ Battle

Festival Republic Stage

  • 22:30pm – Jay Knox’s Jams
  • 12am – Hun FM
  • 1:30am – Swiftogeddon

Friday, August 22

Main Stage

  • 12pm – Red Rum Club
  • 12:50pm – Alessi Rose
  • 1:45pm – The Royston Club
  • 2:45pm – Bloc Party
  • 4:10pm – Wallows
  • 5:20pm – The Kooks
  • 7:10pm – Chappell Roan
  • 9:40pm – Hozier

Chevron Stage

  • 12:25pm – Good Health Good Wealth
  • 1pm – Charlotte Plank
  • 1:50pm – Badger
  • 2:45pm – Nemzzz
  • 3:50pm – Still Woozy
  • 4:55pm – Soft Play
  • 6:10pm – Rudim3ntal
  • 8:40pm – AJ Tracey
  • 11:30pm – C100
  • 1am – Badger
  • 2am – DJ Battle

Festival Republic Stage

  • 1pm – Any Young Mechanic
  • 1:50pm – Glixen
  • 2:40pm – Jasmine.4.T
  • 3:30pm – Been Stellar
  • 4:20pm – Sofia Isella
  • 5:10pm – Snayx
  • 6pm – The Linda Lindas
  • 7:40pm – Heartworms
  • 8:30pm – Mannequin Pussy
  • 9:35pm – High Vis
  • 10:40 – The Chats
  • 12am – Pop Never Dies
  • 1:30am – Fuzz Club

BBC Introducing Stage

  • 12pm – Girl Group
  • 12:55pm – Enna
  • 1:50pm – Charles
  • 2:45pm – Phoebe Green
  • 4:35pm – Artio
  • 5:30pm – Overpass
  • 6:25pm – Jack Dean
  • 7:20pm – Ashley Singh
  • 8:15pm – Chanel Yates

The Smirnoff Stage

  • 1:15pm – Djbe
  • 2:45pm – Sofa
  • 4:15pm – Stresshead
  • 5:45pm – Champion
  • 7:15pm – Lu.Re
  • 8:45pm – Annabel Stop It
  • 10pm – Zero
  • The Aux Stage
  • 1pm – Climate Live Takeover
  • 3pm – Brittany Broski in conversation with Max Balegde

Saturday, August 23

Main Stage

  • 12pm – VOILÁ
  • 12:50pm – Lambrini Girls
  • 1:45pm – South Arcade
  • 2:45pm – Good Neighbours
  • 3:55pm – Royal Otis
  • 5:10pm – Conan Gray
  • 6:30pm – Enter Shikari
  • 7:55pm – Limp Bizkit
  • 9:50pm – Bring Me The Horizon

Chevron Stage

  • 12pm – James And The Cold Gun
  • 12:45pm – Blanco
  • 1:30pm – Issey Cross
  • 2:15pm – Pozer
  • 3:05pm – Example
  • 4:15pm – Pale Waves
  • 5:30pm – Bakar
  • 6:35pm – Wunderhorse
  • 7:35pm – Jazzy
  • 8:50pm – Becky Hill
  • 1am – Jeremiah Asiamah
  • 2am – DJ Battle

Festival Republic Stage

  • 12:25pm – Sunday (1994)
  • 1:15pm – Rifle
  • 2:05pm – Mouth Culture
  • 2:55pm – Origami Angel
  • 3:45pm – Ecca Vandal
  • 4:35pm – Vlure
  • 5:25pm – Balming Tiger
  • 6:15pm – House Of Protection
  • 7:20pm – Bilmuri
  • 9:10pm – Snow Strippers
  • 12am – Uprawr

BBC Introducing Stage

  • 12pm – Mudi Sama
  • 12:55pm – Keo
  • 1:50pm – Eville
  • 2:45pm – Finn Forster
  • 4:35pm – V.I.C
  • 5:30pm – Lleo
  • 6:25pm – The Pill
  • 7:20pm – Unpeople
  • 8:15pm – Nxdia

The Smirnoff Stage

  • 1pm – Johnnie Hartmann
  • 2:30pm – Lleahdavies
  • 4pm – Driia (DJ)
  • 5:30pm – Bvnquet
  • 7pm – Omar+
  • 8:30pm – Megra
  • 10pm – In Parallel

The Aux Stage

  • 1pm – Rock Revival
  • 3pm – Old & Bald
  • 5pm – Jaackmaate’s Happy Hour

Sunday, August 24

Main Stage

  • 12:50pm – Demae
  • 1:40pm – Songer
  • 2:30pm – Waterparks
  • 3:25pm – Sea Girls
  • 4:20pm – Suki Waterhouse
  • 5:30pm – Amyl & The sniffers
  • 6:45pm – Trippie Redd
  • 8:05pm – D-Block Europe
  • 9:50pm – Travis Scott

Chevron Stage

  • 12pm – Lyvia
  • 1:35pm – Late Night Drive Home
  • 2:45pm – Del Water Gap
  • 3:20pm – Leigh-Anne
  • 4:30pm – Girl’s Don’t Sync
  • 5:45pm – Lancey Foux
  • 7pm – DJ EZ
  • 8:40pm – Sammy Virji
  • 11:30pm – BL3SS
  • 1am – Millie Cotton
  • 2am – DJ Battle

Festival Republic Stage

  • 12:10pm – Aviva
  • 1pm – Bartees Strange
  • 1:50pm – Balu Brigada
  • 2:40pm – Nell Mescal
  • 3:30pm – Skye Newman
  • 4:20pm – Antony Smierzek
  • 5:20pm – Luvcat
  • 6:10pm – Matilda Mann
  • 7pm – Good Kid
  • 8:05pm – Nieve Ella
  • 9:10pm – The Dare
  • 12am – For The Nightcrawlers
  • 1:30am – Face Down

BBC Introducing Stage

  • 12pm – DJ Cliffe
  • 12:55pm – Cliffords
  • 1:50pm – Wench!
  • 2:45pm – Indoor Foxes
  • 4:35pm – Niki Kini
  • 5:30pm – Mcxxne
  • 6:25pm – EV
  • 7:20pm – Deyyess
  • 8:15pm – Amie Blue

The Smirnoff Stage

  • 1pm – Aki Oke
  • 2:30pm – LILI
  • 4pm – Charlie Boon
  • 5:30pm – Disrupta
  • 7pm – Ordley
  • 8:30pm – ODF
  • 10pm – Riordan

The Aux Stage

  • 5pm – Josh & Moyo
Leeds 2025 lineup

(All times BST)

Thursday, August 21

Chevron Stage

  • 11pm – Joe Depz
  • 12:30am – Lens
  • 2am – DJ Battle

Festival Republic Stage

  • 7pm – Ben Ellis
  • 7:50pm – Jo Hill
  • 8:35pm – Freak Slug
  • 9:25pm – Chloe Qisha
  • 10:20pm – Mazza_I20

Reload Stage

  • 7pm – Lewis Taylor
  • 8:15pm – Bullet Tooth

LS23

  • 10pm – Dr Dubplate
  • 12:15am – DJ Semtex
  • 1:45am – Anaïs

Friday, August 22

Main Stage

  • 12:20pm – Demae
  • 1:10pm – Songer
  • 2:00pm – Waterparks
  • 2:55pm – Sea Girls
  • 3:30pm – Suki Waterhouse
  • 5:00pm – Amyl & The Sniffers
  • 6:15pm – Trippie Redd
  • 7:35pm – D-Block Europe
  • 9:20pm – Travis Scott

Chevron Stage

  • 12pm – Lyvia
  • 1:30pm – Late Night Drive Home
  • 2:20pm – Del Water Gap
  • 3:15pm – Leigh-Anne
  • 4:25pm – Girl’s Don’t Sync
  • 5:35pm – Lancey Foux
  • 6:45pm – DJ EZ
  • 8:10pm – Sammy Virji
  • 11:00pm – BL3SS
  • 12:30am – Millie Cotton
  • 1:45am – DJ Battle

Festival Republic Stage

  • 12pm – Aviva
  • 12:45pm – Bartees Strange
  • 1:34pm – Balu Brigada
  • 2:25pm – Nell Mescal
  • 3:15pm – Skye Newman
  • 4:05pm – Antony Smierzek
  • 5:05pm – Luvcat
  • 5:55pm – Matilda Mann
  • 6:45pm – Good Kid
  • 7:40pm – Nieve Ella
  • 8:40pm – The Dare

BBC Introducing Stage

  • 12pm – DJ Cliffe
  • 12:55pm – Cliffords
  • 1:50pm – Wench!
  • 2:45pm – Indoor Foxes
  • 4:35pm – Niki Kini
  • 5:30pm – Mcxxne
  • 6:25pm – EV
  • 7:20pm – Deyyess
  • 8:15pm – Amie Blue

Reload Stage

  • 12:30pm – CamUKG
  • 2pm – SHADEV
  • 3:30pm – FUZION
  • 5pm – ESC
  • 6:30pm – Sophia Violet
  • 9:30pm – Riordan

LS23

  • 10pm – ESC
  • 11pm – Douvelle19
  • 12:15am – P-rallel
  • 1:45am – Silva Bumpa

Saturday, August 23

Main Stage

  • 12pm – Red Rum Club
  • 12:40pm – Alessi Rose
  • 1:30pm – The Royston Club
  • 2:25pm – Bloc Party
  • 3:50pm – Wallows
  • 4:55pm – The Kooks
  • 6:40pm – Chappell Roan
  • 9:10pm – Hozier

Chevron Stage

  • 12:00pm – Good Health Good Wealth
  • 12:35pm – Charlotte Plank
  • 1:25pm – Badger
  • 2:15pm – Nemzzz
  • 3:20pm – Still Woozy
  • 4:25pm – Soft Play
  • 5:40pm – Rudim3ntal
  • 8:10pm – AJ Tracey
  • 12:30pm – C100
  • 1:45am – DJ Battle

Festival Republic Stage

  • 12:35pm – Any Young Mechanic
  • 1:25pm – Glixen
  • 2:15pm – Jasmine.4.T
  • 3:05pm – Been Stellar
  • 3:55pm – Sofia Isella
  • 4:45pm –Snayx
  • 5:35pm – The Linda Lindas
  • 7:15pm – Heartworms
  • 8:05pm – Mannequin Pussy
  • 9:05pm – High Vis
  • 10:10 – The Chats

BBC Introducing Stage

  • 12pm – Girl Group
  • 12:55pm – Enna
  • 1:50pm – Charles
  • 2:45pm – Phoebe Green
  • 4:35pm – Artio
  • 5:30pm – Overpass
  • 6:25pm – Jack Dean
  • 7:20pm – Ashley Singh
  • 8:15pm – Chanel Yates

Reload Stage

  • 2pm – Scruz
  • 3:30pm – Tommy Villiers
  • 5pm – Daisy
  • 6:30pm – Saint Ludo
  • 8pm – T-Lex
  • 9:30pm – Gentlemens Club

LS23

  • 10pm – Daisy
  • 11:15pm – Badger
  • 12:30am – TBA
  • 1:45am – Disrupta

Sunday, August 24

Main Stage

  • 12pm – VOILÁ
  • 12:45pm – Lambrini Girls
  • 1:35pm – South Arcade
  • 2:25pm – Good Neighbours
  • 3:25pm – Royal Otis
  • 4:40pm – Conan Gray
  • 6pm – Enter Shikari
  • 7:25pm – Limp Bizkit
  • 9:20pm – Bring Me The Horizon

Chevron Stage

  • 12pm – James And The Cold Gun
  • 12:35pm – Blanco
  • 1:15pm – Issey Cross
  • 1:55pm – Pozer
  • 2:45pm – Example
  • 4:05pm – Pale Waves
  • 5:10pm – Bakar
  • 6:15pm – Wunderhorse
  • 7:10pm – Jazzy
  • 8:20pm – Becky Hill
  • 12:30am – Jeremiah Asiamah
  • 2am – DJ Battle

Festival Republic Stage

  • 12pm – Sunday (1994)
  • 12:50pm – Rifle
  • 1:40pm – Mouth Culture
  • 2:30pm – Origami Angel
  • 3:20pm – Ecca Vandal
  • 4:10pm – Vlure
  • 5pm – Balming Tiger
  • 5:50pm – House Of Protection
  • 6:50pm – Bilmuri
  • 8:40pm – Snow Strippers

BBC Introducing Stage

  • 12pm – Mudi Sama
  • 12:55pm – Keo
  • 1:50pm – Eville
  • 2:45pm – Finn Forster
  • 4:35pm – V.I.C
  • 5:30pm – Lleo
  • 6:25pm – The Pill
  • 7:20pm – Unpeople
  • 8:15pm – Nxdia

Reload Stage

  • 2:30pm – Megan Wroe
  • 4pm – Tomike
  • 5:30pm – Gee Lee
  • 7pm – Omar+
  • 8:30pm – Bushbaby
  • 10pm – Dj Jackum

LS23

  • 10pm – Auramatic
  • 11:15pm – n4tee
  • 12:30am – MPH
  • 2am – [IVY]
What devices is BBC iPlayer available on?

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Categories: Technology

Mullvad is set to remove support for OpenVPN in six months – here's why

TechRadar News - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 02:00
  • Mullvad will remove OpenVPN support from January 15, 2026
  • The move comes as the VPN provider looks to prioritize WireGuard
  • Mullvad has also announced the arrival of in-app updates for Windows and Mac

Mullvad, the Sweden-based VPN provider known for its strong privacy focus and flat-rate pricing, will soon be removing OpenVPN support in favor of WireGuard.

The change will take effect on January 15, 2026, providing existing Mullvad subscribers with time to make the switch before OpenVPN servers and support are removed.

Already the default protocol for all Mullvad apps, WireGuard is employed by many of the best VPN services on the market.

Reminder about removing OpenVPN: we are removing support for OpenVPN entirely on 15th January 2026, in six months time.OpenVPN servers will be completely removed on this date, and support for it within our app will disappear.Please reconfigure your configurations to use…August 18, 2025

"We are removing support for OpenVPN entirely on 15th January 2026, in six months time. OpenVPN servers will be completely removed on this date, and support for it within our app will disappear," wrote the provider in an announcement shared on X.

With Mullvad’s Android and iOS apps already supporting WireGuard exclusively, the transition only impacts desktop users who will receive reminders within Mullvad’s Windows, Mac, and Linux apps.

Mullvad has reminded subscribers to adjust existing OpenVPN configurations to avoid potential interruptions to the service.

Although the news may come as a surprise, Mullvad co-founder Fredrik Strömberg wrote that "WireGuard is the future" as early as 2017.

Why WireGuard?

(Image credit: WireGuard)

A VPN protocol is a set of rules and algorithms that dictate how your device encrypts, tunnels, and transports internet traffic through a VPN server.

WireGuard, a newer VPN protocol first launched in 2016, has been adopted by major VPN providers including Surfshark, IPVanish, and Proton VPN. NordLynx, the proprietary protocol of NordVPN, uses a custom implementation of WireGuard.

Mullvad’s decision to drop OpenVPN marks a significant shift, as most VPN providers still offer multiple protocols for flexibility across networks and devices. As Jan Jonsson, Mullvad CEO, told TechRadar’s Chiara Castro in November 2024, less than 7% of Mullvad users are using OpenVPN.

“By moving to a single protocol, we will be able to focus our resources where they can make a difference”, said Mullvad in a November 2024 blog post.

WireGuard has just 4,000 lines of code, compared to more than 70,000 lines for OpenVPN. Mullvad has praised WireGuard’s simple design, which, aside from making for easier integration of new features, allows for faster speeds. This doesn’t come at the cost of security either, with Mullvad citing WireGuard’s “state-of-the-art cryptography.”

Such is its belief in WireGuard, Mullvad made “a sizable donation” in 2017 to support the open-source protocol’s development. To make things easier for subscribers looking to make the switch, Mullvad’s website provides guides on how to use WireGuard.

Keeping up with Mullvad’s updates is now easier than ever

Mullvad’s decision to retire OpenVPN and fully focus on WireGuard isn’t its only recent change. The VPN provider has also announced in-app updates for desktop.

Instead of having to visit Mullvad’s website to download and install the latest updates, Windows and macOS users can now view and download them directly within the app, making it quicker and easier than ever to stay up-to-date.

Mullvad states that Linux users can also benefit from automatic updates via its Linux app repositories and provides instructions to make the process more straightforward.

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Categories: Technology

What is the legacy of Yellowstone wolves 30 years after their reintroduction?

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 08/20/2025 - 02:00

Thirty years ago, park rangers reintroduced grey wolves into Yellowstone National Park. They wanted to restore the ecosystem and get the elk population, which had decimated the plant community, in check. And it worked – or so the popular narrative suggests. But is it really so simple? Today on the show, we explore how the Yellowstone ecosystem has changed since wolves returned and whether those changes can really be pinned solely on wolves. Plus, how the narrative of the Yellowstone wolf legacy could affect wolf reintroduction elsewhere.

Curious about other science controversies? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

(Image credit: mtnmichelle)

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